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Gastric band and making yourself sick!!

Posted , 5 users are following.

anna14684
anna14684

i need some advice and help! My mum had a gastric band fitted about 4-5 years ago and with every meal she eats, she goes to the toilet to make herself vomit! She says things get stuck but I know this is because she has eaten too much. After she is sick she will come and finish her meal and sometimes be sick again.

i am thinking this is some form of bulimia?! I have tried talking to her about this but just goes in one ear and out the other unfortunately as she doesn't seem to think that she has a problem! Has anyone experienced this before and have any advice I can give her to help?

thank you so much from a desperate daughter sad 

0 likes, 6 replies

6 Replies

  • Joanne2301
    Joanne2301 anna14684

    Posted

    Hi Anna

    It could be bullemia but after 4/5 years your mum knows what she's doing. It may be that she has learnt that she can eat what she wants to eat as long as she is sick in between. I sometimes feel sick while eating and have to be sick to be comfortable again. It could also be she needs to see her nurse to have her band checked it could be too tight, and she's just putting up with it. If she has a problem like a slippage she would know about it. Not only would she be sick but she would be in a lot of pain.

  • Bandid
    Bandid anna14684

    Posted

    I would say you Mam is eating too much or not chewing what she has eaten sufficiently thus causing it to stick - it is really difficult not to eat a bit more of the things we really like as in the old days - its not really vomitting in the normal sense cos the food will never have reached her stomach - its what we call a productive burp (or a PB) - the food is stuck and the only way to relieve it if it wont go down is to bring it back up - what she is doing is not good of course but in my opinion it is not bullimia - perhaps your Mam needs to look at the texture of the foods she is eating also as some food textures such as roasted meat, bread, rice etc are no good for a bandster but after 4/5 yrs i am pretty sure she will already know what she can and cannot eat.
  • MumDiddy
    MumDiddy anna14684

    Posted

    Hi Anna, i had a band fitted about 4 yrs ago and can sympathise with your mum. It is not bulimia but i do think the band may be too tight.  A gastric band is a tool to assist with weight loss not the answer.  If she is bringing food up regularly she she go to see her consultant and tell him.  I have a 10ml band and have 6.5 ml filled. When i had more in i was being sick regularly. Good luck and dont worry xxx
  • Eleni27
    Eleni27 anna14684

    Posted

    I don't have a gastric band, and am aware that people with them can vomit more frequently than those without. However. So much vomiting is not good for the body. It may be causing problems in her stomach, oesophagus (acid burns) and eroding her teeth. I certainly think she should seek some medical advice. 
    • Bandid
      Bandid Eleni27

      Posted

      with a gastric band however its not quite the same as vomitting as you would do normally without a gastric band - it does not come from the stomach as it is food which has become stuck and never reached that destination - whilst i agree she should seek some medical intervention the situation described by anna above is not vomitting in the normal sense - it is more of a burb which produces some of the food which is  stuck and hence called a productive burp or PB for short - it really is difficult to expain to a non banded person  
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